The Shadows Have No Face || 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐑

Dying In Black

There was nothing, not even a whisper of power sticking like oil to where it once had been. The Cauldron was gone, and the sisters with it. Yet, the world was still here, still spinning. So... it had worked. It must have worked.

There was a rumble deep within the earth, like a beast waking from a long nap. I wasn't sure what to do, but the room looked ready to collapse. I grabbed Azriel and pulled him out of the way of a falling block of stone that fell from the roof, Elain's shriek echoing behind me.

"Time to go," I said, looking at the door that was thankfully open.

Mor went first with the lit torch and was practically carried up the steps by everyone else running up before the entire room collapsed in on itself. I was the last out and shut the door behind me. We all took extra steps back and watched the wall around the door crack as banging noises came from below. The door fell off its hinges and was crushed by the collapsing wall as the room brought it down.

But the destruction didn't stop there. No, it looked like it kept spreading in cracks that reminded me of veins and roots. The cracking made pieces of floor drop into nothingness, made the walls crumble, and the ceiling shiver with dust particles.

"What—what's happening?" Elain coughed as dust fell over her head.

"It's not stopping," Amren said. "We have to get off this island."

I grabbed Elain's hand and ran with her as Amren ushered everyone to the exit. This magic followed us—chased us down the long hallway, crumbling everything in its path. Doors crushed under the weight of stone, causing splinters of wood to fly in all directions before turning into ash. The cracks along the roof moved faster than us, skipping ahead and dropping large chunks of stone from above.

I shoved Elain ahead of me as one large chunk fell overhead, and ducked. Nothing hit me, though. Instead, the stone hovered over my head, wisps of darkness billowing over the edges of the underside. Shadows. I didn't have time to thank them before Elain grabbed my arm and pulled me back into a sprint so we could catch up to the others.

Sunlight hit as I ran out of the crumbling building and followed the others down the winding stairs to the beach. Elain stayed ahead of me, and I watched closely to make sure she didn't trip. The cracks followed us down the cliff to the beach, making large chunks of rock fall into the ocean.

I stumbled down the last steps and slammed into Azriel. My knees gave out on impact and he had to hoist me up so I wouldn't go face-first into the sand. The sound of crumbling stone echoed around the small beach, and Elain screamed as a large piece of cliff fell into the ocean and sent a splash of water onto her. She gasped, shaking her arms as water soaked her clothes and left her hair in wet strands.

From above, an echoing boom sounded from the small keep. I watched with a tilted head as the building slowly started... sinking. It crumbled in on itself, disappearing beneath the hill. The hill was also sinking.

"Amren, you seem to know everything about the Cauldron. What's happening?" Cassian asked.

She looked in awe. "The power should be contained within the wards of this island. We'll have to block up this exit when we leave."

"Will it last?" I asked, grabbing her shoulder and turning her to look at me.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Rhys is the most powerful High Lord. If it doesn't last, I'll admit I like normal food." Cassian opened his mouth, but she raised a finger and shushed him.

I watched the waves push harder against the cliff, making the beach smaller as the water pulled in. "Amren, are you sure?"

She looked around at everyone and then back at me, nodding. "Rhys and I will stay here and make sure it remains contained. Feyre, get to Miryam and Drakon, tell them everything—let them know it's safe. The rest of you get back to Velaris and don't do any more stupid things until I get back."